Ever wonder how that time of the month affects women who are into running or other kinds of sports? I am sure that a woman at some point, even if she's far from being an athlete, has noted subtle or not so subtle symptoms before or during her menstrual cycle. As a runner or a sports woman, this monthly cycle may be of significance to one's performance. On the other hand, it can also be inconsequential to some women.

I've read these articles and they may shed some light to better understanding your own body. (Now if you're a man and you're still reading up to this point, don't say I didn't warn you). These may not necessarily be about running only . You could also consider these facts during your workout schedules.

There's really no absolute rule to holding off running just because of a woman's monthly period. Even pregnant women still run! I've read blogs of pregnant women runners and I am inspired by them. Still, I am not playing the hero here.

I was supposed to have my first 5-kilometer run for this year, this coming Sunday. I had to beg off from signing up simply because I saw in this nifty app I am using, the period calendar, that the run would coincide with that time of the month. I wouldn't have minded that, except that it's also the projected day I would expect severe abdominal cramps for at least a couple of hours. And with the cold weather during early mornings, that would be double-whammy for me. So, instead, if I am feeling up to it, I will just jog this Sunday with friends. If not, then I'll just take my sweet time to sleep some more and wake up a little later.

So why am I being a sissy this time just because of this monthly thing? For seasoned athletes, the monthly period may not even matter. For a newbie runner like me, I would much rather not risk passing out on the running track. I am well aware that there is a high probability of me ending up lying in a medic's vehicle while others are running about. It is something I don't look forward to. I'd rather suffer in silence in the comfort of my own bed.

Knowing your body and how it performs at different phases and at different levels of exertion is of utmost important. There are perfectly good reasons to not run or workout or engage in sports temporarily, and then, there are also just plain excuses. You know your body and it is your call to decide what to do and what to skip for a while.

It is only you who can tell if your body is okay especially when we have menses. Though, we may say excuses, it is still good to listen to our body because if we overdo things, the consequences are not necessarily good!

Luckily my monthly period does not affect my physical activities. I have friends who beg off from badminton games or the gym because of their period though. There's an officemate who told me sometimes she collapses during her period.

It really pays to listen to our bodies. In my case I do brisk walking when I am too beat up to do my weekend aerobic class at the park after my shift. With no sleep I am starting to realize it is one of the best way to start one's day wether I have menstruation or not. I forget my abdominal cramps plus the air is still not that polluted as there are few vehicles and commuters. Besides an 8 peso savings a day is not bad if you do it three times a week, don't you think ?

HI sis, I also made a short post on my weight loss blog regarding this topic. I'm a runner myself and when it's that time of the month, I sometimes wonder if it's safe to still run. ...and well, yeah.. the answer's yes. Just don't stress it.

I'm not sure if the running helps...because I take mefenamic acid about the time the cramps are starting....Because when it has kicked in full time, the medicine would be no good anymore and I would be writhing in pain for 2 hours.

I could do almost anything naman but I refrain from going outside the comfort of home or office during that time because there's no telling how my body would act up. Yes, some women do experience those kinds of severe symptoms.

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Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to visit this site. This is basically a blog about my personal journey towards better health as I try to hold hypertension at bay, or possibly reverse the condition. Towards the end of 2011, I started taking health and wellness more seriously, something I should have done decades ago. It's never too late to start and I know I have a long way to go. I hope you'll journey with me...better yet, run with me. It's one of the things I enjoy doing at the moment and you'll see a lot of my running escapades here.

To good health!!!

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Busy at work! Work is now my exercise lol! No kidding. I walk around a lot. So there!

I'm a full time employee somewhere in Manila. I'm an Engineer by profession and a blogger/writer on the side. Most of my free time, you'll see me surfing the net, huddled over a book,tinkering with my blogs, or joining running events.